Vocabulary
Perspective
Using perspective, objects in a scene appear to be at different distances from the viewer.
Chiarascuro
the arrangement or treatment of light and dark parts in a pictorial work of art
Fresco
A painting done this way is called a fresco (FREHS•koh), which in Italian means “fresh.”
oil paint
Like Italian artists, northern artists wanted their works to have greater realism, but they used different methods. One important method they developed was oil painting. First developed in Flanders (FLAN • duhrz)—a region that is in northern Belgium today— oils let artists paint intricate details and surface textures, like the gold braid on a gown.
Engraving
An engraving is made from an image carved on metal, wood, or stone. Ink is applied to the surface, and then the image is printed on paper.
Here are some famous Artists'
Leanardo da Vinci
Although Leonardo became a great inventor, he trained as an artist. Training in
workshops was an old tradition, but during the Renaissance, individual artists began to
do something no medieval artist had done— they signed their own work.
One of Leonardo’s most famous works is The Last Supper, which he began painting in
1494 on a wall behind a church altar. In this painting of Jesus and his disciples, Leonardo was able to reveal human emotions through small differences in how each disciple held his
head or the disciple’s position in relation to Jesus. Leonardo demonstrated this skill again
in the Mona Lisa. People still argue about what the woman in the portrait is thinking—what is
the mystery behind her smile?
workshops was an old tradition, but during the Renaissance, individual artists began to
do something no medieval artist had done— they signed their own work.
One of Leonardo’s most famous works is The Last Supper, which he began painting in
1494 on a wall behind a church altar. In this painting of Jesus and his disciples, Leonardo was able to reveal human emotions through small differences in how each disciple held his
head or the disciple’s position in relation to Jesus. Leonardo demonstrated this skill again
in the Mona Lisa. People still argue about what the woman in the portrait is thinking—what is
the mystery behind her smile?
Sandro Botticelli
Born around 1445, Botticelli became a famous artist in Florence. He sometimes
painted on wet plaster with watercolor paint. A painting done this way is called a
fresco (FREHS•koh), which in Italian means “fresh.” Frescoes were painted in churches
all over Italy. In 1481 Botticelli painted three frescoes for the pope in the Sistine Chapel.
Botticelli’s works also included many scenes of classical mythology. His images
were much more realistic than medieval artists. However, he focused on the emotion
of the scene rather than trying to be accurate.
painted on wet plaster with watercolor paint. A painting done this way is called a
fresco (FREHS•koh), which in Italian means “fresh.” Frescoes were painted in churches
all over Italy. In 1481 Botticelli painted three frescoes for the pope in the Sistine Chapel.
Botticelli’s works also included many scenes of classical mythology. His images
were much more realistic than medieval artists. However, he focused on the emotion
of the scene rather than trying to be accurate.
Raphael Sanzio
Although Raphael worked at the same time as Leonardo, he was much younger. Even as a young man, Raphael worked with ease and grace and became known as one of Italy’s best painters. Italians especially loved the gentle Madonnas he painted. He also painted many frescoes in the Vatican Palace. Perhaps his best-known painting is the School of Athens, which depicts a number of Greek philosophers.
Michelangelo Buonarroti
Another great Renaissance artist was Michelangelo. Like many other artists of the time, Michelangelo painted, sculpted, and designed buildings. He painted one of the best-known Renaissance works—the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Although he painted many outstanding works, Michelangelo was a sculptor at heart. He believed his talents were inspired by God. He carved his statues to show perfect versions of human beings as a symbol of God’s beauty and perfection. Michelangelo’s best-known sculpture is the 13-foot-tall statue David. The sculptor made David seem calm, yet ready for action. Also
impressive is Michelangelo’s statue Moses, finished around 1515. The huge figure appears both wise and powerful.
impressive is Michelangelo’s statue Moses, finished around 1515. The huge figure appears both wise and powerful.
Titian
One of the great artists of the late Renaissance was Titian, a painter from Florence. By the time he died in 1576, Titian had gained the title of count, many riches, and received many honors for his works. Titian painted many portraits as well as religious and mythological scenes. He also painted scenes that came from his imagination. Titian used rich colors that were often contrasted with extremely dark shadows. His works influenced later artists
Jan Van Eyck
Jan van Eyck was a master of oil painting. In fact, some credit him with having created this method of painting. Van Eyck learned how to mix and blend his oil paints to create brilliant colors. Some thought the colors in his work sparkled like jewels or stained glass. In one of his best-known paintings, a newly married couple stands side by side in a formal bedroom. Van Eyck showed every fold in their rich gowns and every detail of the chandelier above their heads. The painting is also visually appealing because of the balance in color and space between the couple and the other objects in the room.
Albrecht Durer
Durer was able master both perspective and fine detail. He is considered a master painter but is best
known for his engravings. An engraving is made from an image carved on metal, wood, or stone. Ink is applied to the surface, and then the image is printed on paper. Dürer printed many copies of his carvings and sold them throughout Germany, earning him great wealth. His Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is an example of a woodcut, or a print made from a wood engraving. The image draws on a passage from the Bible. Like many artists, Dürer interpreted the passage and drew upon his creative abilities to create a strong visual image. The woodcut depicts four horsemen riding to announce the end of the world.
known for his engravings. An engraving is made from an image carved on metal, wood, or stone. Ink is applied to the surface, and then the image is printed on paper. Dürer printed many copies of his carvings and sold them throughout Germany, earning him great wealth. His Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is an example of a woodcut, or a print made from a wood engraving. The image draws on a passage from the Bible. Like many artists, Dürer interpreted the passage and drew upon his creative abilities to create a strong visual image. The woodcut depicts four horsemen riding to announce the end of the world.
Pieter Brughel
Pieter Bruegel the Elder, generally considered the greatest Flemish painter of the 16th century, is by far the most important member of the family. He was probably born in Breda in the Duchy of Brabant, now in The Netherlands. Accepted as a master in the Antwerp painters' guild in 1551, he was apprenticed to Coecke van Aelst, a leading Antwerp artist, sculptor, architect, and designer of tapestry and stained glass. Bruegel traveled to Italy in 1551 or 1552, completing a number of paintings, mostly landscapes, there. Returning home in 1553, he settled in Antwerp but ten years later moved permanently to Brussels. He married van Aelst's daughter, Mayken, in 1563. His association with the van Aelst family drew Bruegel to the artistic traditions of the Mechelen (now Malines) region in which allegorical and peasant themes run strongly. His paintings, including his landscapes and scenes of peasant life, stress the absurd and vulgar, yet are full of zest and fine detail. They also expose human weaknesses and follies. He was sometimes called the "peasant Bruegel" from such works as Peasant Wedding
Filippo Brunelleschi
Humanist scholars studied the Greeks and Romans to increase their knowledge of many different topics. They were curious about everything, including plants and animals, human anatomy and medicine, and the stars and planets. Filippo Brunelleschi to build the dome of the Florence cathedral in the 1430s. Later, after Arab traders brought gunpowder to Europe from China, European engineers used it to develop new kinds of weapons.